Box lifter



F. OLSTAD BOX LIFTER March I, 1938.

Filed Aug. 6, 1956 ATTORNEY.

Patented M lr- 1, .1933 v I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ox LIFTER a i} Fritz Olstad, Mlllwood, Wash. Application August s, 1936, Serial No. 94,672

3 Claims. ((1294-1114) This invention relates to a box carrier and one bearings or hinge ears 6 and the strip or member object oi the invention is toprovide a device of I also has its inner end cut to provide tongues I this character of such construction that a heavy and an intermediate tongue which is rolled back box, such as abox having supplies packed therein, upon itself to form a hinge ear'or bearing 8. A

5 may be easily lifted and carried from one place pin 9 passes through the ears 6 and 8 to pivotally 5 to another. connect the two members I and 2 and attention is Another object of the inventionis to so form the called to the fact that while the two members box carrier that when it is in use and its jaws enmay be swung upwardly quite freely, the tongues gaged with a box, they will firmly grip the box I will serve to prevent the two members from 10 from opposite ends thereof and permit the box swinging downwardly beyond a horizontal posi- 10 to be lifted and carried without danger of the box tion by engaging the lower face of the member 2 slipping from between the jaws. under the tongues 5. A handle I0 is carried by Another object of the invention is to provide a the member 2 at the inner end thereof and conbox carrier consisting of pivotallyconnected memsists of a U-shaped metal yoke which is riveted l5 bers so formed and so proportioned that when upon the member 2 intermediate the width therethey are engaged with a box, the box will be first of with its arms projecting upwardly and carrymoved upwardly from one end as it is lifted and ing a hand grip ll. the lower end of the box first make contact with When this box carrier is in use, it is disposed the ground or another box upon which it is to be over the box l2 longitudinally thereof with the stacked as it is set down. This permits the boxes jaws 3 and 4 engaging end faces of the box. The 20 to be properly set one upon another and prevents handle is then grasped and as upward pull is jolts which would be liable to bruise the fruit as exerted to lift the box, the resiliency of the strips the boxes are set down. from which the two members are formed will Another object of the invention is to provide a cause the jaws to tightly grip the box and the box carrier having its companion members pivsharpened edges of the jaws will bite into the 25 oted to each other and one so formed that while end faces of the box. The fact that the member it may be pivotally moved, its downward swing- 2 is longer than the member I causes the handle ing movement will be limited and this jaw preto be disposed in offset relation to the center of vented from swinging downwardly beyond a posi the box and towards the front end of the box.

tion in which it is in substantially longitudinal Therefore, the front end of the box engaged by 30 j alinement with the other member. the shorter member I will be lifted first and the The invention is illustrated in the accompanybox will extend rearwardly at a downward ining drawing, wherein cline as it is carried from one place to another.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box carrier. Upon reaching the place where the box is to be Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the imset down, it is lowered and the rear end of the 35 proved box carrier engaged with a box to be box Will first make contact with the ground or carried, another box upon which it is to be stacked. The

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the relatively box may, therefore, be easily disposed substanshort member and a portion of the relatively long tially exactly over another box upon which it is member forming the carrier. to be stacked and the front end of the box then 40 This improved box carrier consists of comlowered into place. The box may, therefore, be panion members I and 2, each of which is formed set down without being jolted and fruit in the box from a strip of resilient metal such as steel so will not be bruised. It should also be noted that that the carrier will have sufficient resiliency to since the two members are formed of steel or othpermit a box to be firmly gripped and easily carer resilient metal and the tongues I prevent 48 ried and also cause the beveled free ends of the them from swinging downwardly beyond a horimembers to retain a sharp edge. The strip from zontal position, they will be permitted to have which the member I is formed is of a great deal sufficient give to absorb shocks in a vertical direcless length than the strip from which the strip 2 tion as the box is carried over rough ground and a 50 is formed and each has its outer end portion persons arm will be relieved of strain and also 50 curved downwardly and inwardly to provide jaws the sharpened ends of the jaws caused to firmly 3 and 4 terminating in straight out sharpened grip the end walls of the box and prevent it from edges.- The inner end of the member 2 is cut slipping downwardly from between the jaws. longitudinally to provide tongues 5 which are While the device has been called a box carrier, it

rolled upwardly back upon themselves to form may be used for carrying any heavy article. 55

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A box carrier comprising companion members formed from flat strips of resilient material and having their outer end portions bent downwardly and inwardly to form Jaws, inner ends 01 said members being pivoted to each other and one member having a portion extending under the inner end portion 01' the other member to limit downward pivotal movement of the members relative to each other, and a handle carried by and extendingnpwardly from the inner end portion of one member.

2. A box carrier comprising companion members formed from strips of resilient material and having their outer end portions curved downwardly and inwardly to form jaws, one member being of appreciably greater length than the other, said members having their inner ends 'pivotally connected, a handle carried by the inner end portion of the longer member, and

means to limit downward pivotal movement ofthe members relative to each other.

8. A box carrier comprising companion members formed from flat strips of resilient material, said strips having their outer end portions curved downwardly and inwardly to form Jaws sharpened at their ends, one strip being of appreciably greater length than the other, the inner end 01. the longer member being provided with hinge ears spaced transversely from each other, the inner end of the shorter member being provided with a hinge ear intermediate its width pivotally mounted between the hinge ears of the longer member to pivotaily connect the members, the shorter member having its inner end formed with tongues at opposite sides of the hinge ear extending longitudinally of the member under the inner end portion of the longer member and constituting means for limiting downward pivotal movement of the members relative to each other, and a handle carried by the inner end portion of the longer member and extending upwardly therefrom.

FRITZ OLSTAD.

and engaging 

